Step-bearing for upright shafts.



w. H. LARRABEE. STEP BEARING FOR UPBIGHT SHAFTS. APPLICATION FILED N0V.11, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909. I

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' volving member or UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. LARRABEE, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNon TO UNIONWATER METER COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- BTEP-BEABIKG FOR enema SHAPES.

No. canoes.

Specification of Letters raisin.

Patented Aug. 17, ions.

b all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l, lVnmIliM ill. LAmim nun, a citizen oftheUnitedS/tates, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester andState of lllassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Step-Bearingfor Upright Shafts in Water-Meters and Similar Apparatus, of which thefollowing isa specificalion, reference being made therein to theaccompanying drawin The prime object of my present invention is toprovide an efiicient ball step-bearing for the revolving propellers ormeter-wheels, in water meters, and for submerged positions in likeapparatus; which step-bearing Will operate practically frictionless andwith but slight Wear or deterioration in use. Also to provide astep-bearing mount for the urpose stated, comprising two hard m rbearing faces and a non-oxidizable metallic ball, and which can beconveniently mannfactured and assembled, and accurately adjusted foruse. These objects l attain by the specially designed ball-bearingmechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 isa vertical sectional view of my invention as apglied to the uprightshaft of a water meter. ig. 2 is a horizontal section at line X XonFig. 1. Fig. 3'is an inverted horizontal section at the same line, Fig.4 shows a bottom and side view of the retaining ring emplo ed in themechanism.

Referring to the rawing, catedby the numeral 1 represents the re- Wheel,which in the present instance is shown as a portion of the propeller ormeter-wheel of a current Water-meter.

2 indicates the shaft, journal or spindle at the lower end of saidwheel, which in practiceis usually made of bronze metal.

3 indicates the metalbearing-hub, within which there is a tubular bushin4, preferably made of hard rubber, an having av flange f at its -u perend to prevent the bushing from sett ing down within the hub.

The shaft is fitted to rotate within the bushing. The bearing-hub 3 canbe supported in any suitable manner; as by radial arms a, or otherwise,according to the convenience or requirement of the particular situationthe part indi-.

where employed. In the foot of the shaft fl provide a block or facingmember 5 of hard rubber or similar suitable non-corrodible material,which is inserted in a cavity formed in the end of the shaft, andpreferably projects slightly therefrom at its end. bottom face of saidfoot-block 5 is best made slightly concave, as shown; but can in someinstances be made flat if so desired. The bearing hub extends somedistance below the end of the shaft 2 and has, secured within its lowerend, a plug 6 that is preferably screwed into the internallyscrewthreade'd opening in the hub and confined by a jam-nut 7. Or ifdesired said plug can be otherwise fastened within the hub. This plug isformed with a cylindrical cav ity in its upper end and an uprightcylindricnl rim 8 around said cavity; the plug being of suitable metal,or similar to that of the bearing-hub. Confined within the plug itprovide a flat block or seat disk 10, which is made of hard rubber, orequivalent noncorrodible material; and between said hard rubber seatdisk and the hard rubber foot-block 5 there-is arranged a loosespherical ball 12, which forms the contact sup port between thestationary and rotating members. Said ball is made of a hard nonoxidizable material, such as a copper-t n alloy, agate, or some hardsubstance that will not be injuriously inflected by thejgliqnidSurrounding medium about the bearing. the ball, and resting upon thetlat top surface of the seat-disk, I arrange a 'loosefrlng or annulus 13of hard rubber, orequiva entnon-metallic material; said rin be ex- ;gternally of less diameter than the internal diameter of the cavity, andhaving an internal opening of greater diameter than the ball. The ringis free to move to a limited extent laterally within the circular rim 8,while the ball can have free movement within the ring. The latter isbest provided with an inward bevel or lip 15 of less diameter, thatextends over the swell of the ball; and while permitting amplelooseness, retains the ball a proximately in its proper axial relation.T l-wring 13 is loosely confined within the plug'by an inwardly turnedlip at the upper edge of the rim 8, so that the loose ball and ring willnot be liable to escape from the The plug when the latter is removedfrom the bearing-hub, or while assembling the mechanism.

One or more openings 17 are formed through the side of the hub to admitwater or liquid to the bearing-step; and a passage or passages areprovided from the top surface of the seat-disk 10 downward through theplug, as indicated by dotted lines 19 on Fig. 1, to allow sediment topass out of the ball recess. Notches 20 may also be provided in thebottom edge of the annulus to facilitate the exit of s iment.

By turning the screw-threaded or out the step can be adjusted to ringthe bearing to the exact reguired adjustment for the running position 0the meter-wheel, and it can be t ere held by turning up the jamnut 7against the end of the bearing-hub.

The concavity in the surface of the'footblock is of much greater radiusthan the ball; and this concavit tends to keep the ball central with theaxis of the shaft. The

glug 6 in annulus 13 rests upon the flat top surface of the seat-disk 10and is free to have a limited lateral movement within the cavity; andwhile it does not interfere with themorma action of the ball 12,prevents the ball from getting too far out 0 central relation with theaxial alinement.

By employing a non-oxidizable ball 12 between the hard rubber or noncorrodible bearing surfaces 5 and 10 arranged as set forth, togetherwith the loose hard rubber retaining ring 13, I produce a veryeflicient, durable and free running ste -bearing peculiarly adapted formeter-w ieels and the like, where a comparatively frictionless andnon-wearable step is refigeired. l

I am aware that ballarings in different construction have heretoforebeen employed. Therefore I do not claim broadly the use of a ball forbearing purposes in general.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. 111 astep-bearing, the combination as described, of the shaft provided withan end plece having a concave face, a cylindrical ournal-bearing hub, aplug removabl secured in the lower end 0 said journalaring hub, theflat-topped hard rubber seatdisk inclosed within said plug, the loosehard-rubber ard-ring adjacent to and laterally movab e in relation tosaid seat-disk, and a hard metallic ball loosely arranged within saidguardring and forming the bearin contact between the concave face at theen of the shaft and the flat top surface of said seat-disk.

2. In a step-bearing for water-meters and the like, the combination asdescribed, of the vertical shaft having a block of hard-rubber securelyfixed in its lower end said block havin a concave bearing surface formedupon its lower face, the removable supportesaooo ing-plug, the lowerhard-rubber bearing:- block having a flat up surface fitting into andsecurely held within said supportingplug, the non-oxidizable ball, theloose hardrubber reta1n ng-ring resting and laterally movable upon theflat surface upon which the ball and retaining ring are supported,saldsupporting-plug provided with one or more passages extending fromthe upper side of the lower bearing-blockdown through the plug, and aninlet opening into the hearing above said plug, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In a step-bearing for water-meters and the like, in combination asdescribed, a hard non-oxidizable ball disposed for free action betweenthe shaft and supporting-step, the shaft and step each provi ed wit aacing member of hard rubber adjacent to the bal one of said membershavin a sli htly concaved face, an annulus loose y con ningsaid ballapproximatel central therewith, said annulus bein of ess diameter thanits'inclosing cham r and permitted limited lateral movement therein thesup orting-step having an annular wall surrounding the annulus, andmeans for loosely confinin the annulus within the chamber, as set fort4. A step-bearing for 'water-meter-wlieel shafts, comprising, incombination, the vertical wheel-shaft, said shaft having at its lowerextremity a non-corrodible foot-block with a concave bearing-surfaceformed on its lower face, the cylindrical journal-bearing, the removableronze supporting-plug having a c lindrical cavity. in its upper endsurrounde by an upwar 1y projecting cylindrical rim, the lowerseat-block rigidly held in the cavit of said supporting-plug, the hardnon-oxi izable ball resting on said seat-block, the loose retaining ringrestin on said seat-block within the cavity, sai ring being of lessdiameter than the interior of the cavity and free to move laterallywithin its limit, the central hole in the ring at its lower side beingof much greater diameter than the diameter of the ball, and said ringprovided at its up er side with an inward projecting lip t at extendsover the ball a ve its equatorial swell, an inwardlyturned lip at the toof the c lindrical rim loosely confining sai ring wit in the cavity andpassages leading from the upper side 0 the seat-block down through thesupportingplug, for the esca e of particles of grit from the bearing suraces, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a vertical meterwheel-shaft; the journal-bearin-hub therefor having a screw-threaded en ,and abushing within said hubin which the shaft is journaled to rotate; of-a supportinglug threadedinto the end of the bearingub, said plug havin a cylindrical cavity inits upper end, the at anti-frictional seat-block the inner edge ofwhichterminates adjacent 10 to and above the swell of the ball.

Witness my hand this 9th day of November, 1908.

WILLIAM H. LARRABEE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, A. G. DAVIS.

